Twenty Hours Till Christmas
by Dcfan100
Summary: Tenten wakes the day before Christmas and comes to a horrible realization. She forgot to get Neji a present! Now it's rush to find her crush the perfect gift before all the shops close at midnight. NejiTen! Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, another NejiTen Christmas story! First of all, I'd like to give a big thank you to my beta reader ****MissFaerieKaiti****. You seriously rock! Now, I know this chapter is kind of short but it'll get longer as time goes on. I hope to have the full thing actually done by Dec 25. So, that's pretty much all there is for my introduction, other than the standard suggestions, comments and constructive criticism are always welcome! I hope you enjoy and please review.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

You know, there's something comforting about dreams. Maybe it's the fact that you really don't have to take what happens in dreams seriously. The Akatsuki can show up and wipe out your entire village, you can become a punching bag for an enemy ninja or Orochimaru can roll by on a unicycle juggling kunai with explosive tags and clown makeup (come on, you knew that joke was coming), it doesn't really matter since it didn't really happen. Let the experts and phsycayatrists debate about the true meaning of dreams or if they really foreshadow any future events, unless you're the protagonist in a cartoon, (preferably one starting with the letters N-a-r and ending with u-t-o, not a whole lot of letter in between) you're probably okay.

Unfortunately, most of the time, you have no idea that you are dreaming. So you can imagine how disappointed Tenten was when her wedding with Neji Hyuga (hey it's not to far fetched) which was to be followed by her being installed as the sixth Hokage (okay so she likes to dream big) and was being catered by that little Pizza joint that closed two years ago (really, really big), was interrupted when another Tenten stepped onto the scene and snapped her fingers. Everything froze.

"Not again," Tenten groaned. The other Tenten nodded in sympathy. "This always happens! We get to the good part and then you have to show up and tell me that it's all a dream."

"Sorry," the other Tenten shrugged. "But this is more important than your little fantasy."

"What could be more important than this?" Tenten groaned motioning to the frozen scene around her.

"Do remember what day it is?" her inner asked.

"December…23?" Tenten asked.

"That was yesterday, it's the 24th now." Her inner explained.

"So?"

"So…are you forgetting anything?"

"Not really. I decorated my apartment, bought holiday themed explosive tags, I sent out Christmas cards along with complimentary kunai, I got presents for everyone…" Tenten began.

"Stop right there!"

"What?"

"You got presents for everyone?"

"Well let me see, Gai Sensei, Temari, Hinata, Lee, Naruto, Ino, Kiba, Sakura that one civilian I accidentally put into the hospital, that ANBU agent I spilled Neji's…GAAH! Neji!" Tenten shouted grabbing her head. "How could I forget?"

"All I know is you'd better get a move on. It's," Inner Tenten looked at her watch "four o'clock right now. The last shop in Konoha closes at midnight on Christmas Eve which would give you about twenty hours."

"Twenty hours!" Tenten shouted. "Darn it!" Inner Tenten snapped her fingers again and Tenten immediately latched her lips onto Neji's, grabbed a slice of Pizza, took a Kunai out of her wedding dress and stabbed at her heart. Immediately, Tenten jerked up out of bed and looked at her hand hoping to see the piece of pizza. Upon seeing it empty she sighed. "I always hope that trick will work," she muttered as she started to get dressed.

5:00 A.M

"Naruto! Kiba!" Tenten shouted to the two who were setting up a stall on the side of one of the Konoha many business streets.

"Oh hey Tenten!" Kiba greeted.

"I need…uh what are you guys doing?" she asked staring at there stall.

"Selling snow cones!" Naruto declared boldly giving a thumbs up in the middle of Konoha's snowy scene where the thermometer was at a blistering negative fifteen degrees, but hey! The duo had come a long way from their earlier business venture.

_Flashback_

"Man! Selling toothbrushes to the elderly!" Naruto exclaimed "This is our best idea ever!"

"Yeah," Kiba agreed "Just think of all the money we can save by not including the bristles!"

"And if we don't have any bristles, who needs handles to hold them!" Naruto smiled manically "We can just sell empty cases!"

_End of Flashback _

"Oookay," Tenten said awkwardly.

"So what brings you out here?" Naruto asked.

"Long story! I just had to ask you something! What would you get a significant other for Christmas?" Tenten blurted out. The two traded glances.

"A significant other?" the both asked simultaneously. "Uhhhhhhhhhhh…"

"Okay, let me try to rephrase that," Tenten said. "What would you get your girlfriend for Christmas?"

"Ramen!"

"Dog shampoo!"

"Makeup?"

"Hair products?"

"A Pony?"

"A Pony Naruto?" Kiba asked staring at his friend like he was brain dead. "What are you? Six?"

"Well! Looks like someone's getting coal in there stocking this year!" Naruto said in his offended voice before walking off. Kiba shook his head watching him go.

"I got nothing," he shrugged turning back towards Tenten.

"Alright, thank anyways," Tenten said preparing to move out.

"Tenten wait!" Kiba called after her.

"What?"

"Snow cone?"

**Well, how was it? :D I hope you enjoyed, please review and I'll see you next time.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everybody! First off let me thank all my reviewers! Thanks for taking the time to review the story! Secondly, I'd like to thank my beta reader again, MissFaerieKaiti! :D So, that's it. I won't keep you with an insanely long authors note, please enjoy and please review! **

6:00 A.M

Survival tip twenty seven: snow cones and sub zero weather do not mix…ever. Apparently, no one ever told Tenten this, which would probably explain why she was walking down the streets of Konoha with a snow cone frozen to her tongue.

"Tenten," a familiar voice yelled from behind her. The kunochi turned around to see the sand siblings following Shikamaru.

"Ey uys," she greeted drearily. "hat's hup?" (Translation: Hey guys, what's up?)

"The Kazekage," Shikamaru said motioning to Gaara who was bundled up in every form of sweater known to man "Is visiting Konoha for Christmas. Guess who gets to show him the local 'customs'?" Shikamaru shrugged with a sigh and a look that said 'It's troublesome but what are you gonna do?' Tenten looked past the lazy Nara teen and towards the sand siblings. Kankuro and Temari waved, Gaara just glared and mumbled something about the weather not being natural.

"So what's new with you?" Shikamaru drawled. Tenten rolled her eyes and pointed to her tongue which was in a tangled set of knots due to her futile attempts to get the snow cone off.

"You know what this means don't you!" Kankuro shouted with a grin of his face.

"Oh no," Temari groaned.

"She's…!"

"No, please, don't say it." Gaara deadpanned.

"Tongue tied!" Kankuro yelled as everyone groaned.

"Ahts reat Ankuro now an onebody…" Tenten began before Temari walked over to her and yanked the snow cone off her tongue using all the grace and fragility of a freight train. "Ow! Ow, ow…thanks," Tenten said shaking her head and blinking a couple thousand times.

"Don't mention it," Temari shrugged. "So what brings you out here on the day before Christmas?" Temari continued looking over the snow cone as if she was deciding whether to try and eat it or not.

"To make a long story short, I forgot to buy a Christmas present for Neji and I've got about eighteen hours to find him a present." Tenten said giving a depressed sigh.

"Relax," Temari smiled "You've got plenty of time to find him a gift."

"Temari. You do realize that this is Neji Hyuga we're talking about! This has to be the perfect gift! I can't just show up with some lame last minute gift or some mediocre gift!" she said placing her face about five inches from Temari's "This is Neji Hyuga we're talking about! I have to find him the perfect gift because…he's special." She finished lamely. Temari smiled at the younger ninja, she was so into him.

"Any particular reason why it has to be so 'special'," Temari answered with something that subtly resembled a smirk. Tenten responded with her best 'I think you know why now can you please just help me out?' look. Temari smiled and sighed.

"So do any of you guys know what I can get him?" Tenten asked sheepishly.

"Well…" Shikamaru began thoughtfully. "I'm not free today, but I think maybe Ino might be able to help you shop for a gift."

"Cool," Tenten said smiling "Where…AH!" Tenten said feeling a sudden presence materialize out of nowhere and turning around to see Ino standing right beside her.

"I heard my name and shop in one sentence," Ino explained with a smile. Tenten looked at Ino suspiciously, then took a healthy step back.

6:59 A.M

"So, you know the plan right?" Ino asked staring intently at the door ready to dash in as soon as the clock stuck seven.

"All you said to me was as soon as the door opens run inside and head for the first store you see," Tenten said with a raised eyebrow.

"Exactly," Ino answered not taking her eyes off of the door. Tenten face palmed. Suddenly, the doors opened, Ino grabbed Tenten and sped inside along with all the rest of the deadbeats who decided to wait until the last minute to do there Christmas shopping. Ino then shifted into something that is known as 'Hyperdrive Buying'.

The first stop: Steal You Blind Department Store. A fitting name considering the 'send you-into-open-heart-surgery type' prices.

"Where are we headed?" Tenten shouted as they raced trough the store.

"Beauty and Health care products!" Ino shouted back as the duo arrived at a section of the store that held more varieties of shampoo and skin care products than Tenten had kunai. Well, maybe not that many, but you get the picture.

"What are we supposed to find here?" Tenten asked.

"Um, hello," Ino grinned "Take one look at that Neji's hair. Do you think it just naturally grows that way?"

"Well, personally, I think it's genetic, but Neji say's he spends a couple hours each morning. So, I think he has enough hair care products as it is." Tenten shrugged.

"Oh," was all Ino said looking at the seven bottles of shampoo she'd picked up before shrugging and dumping them into her own cart.

Furnishings Department

It took Ino about three point nine seconds to find the biggest recliner in the entire store which had a price tag with more zero's that the national debt.

"I don't know," Tenten said looking the chair over. "He doesn't spend much time indoors much or sitting down. Why would he need a recliner."

"What? The guy doesn't just sit down and crash someplace for awhile?" Ino asked curiously.

"Yeah he does, but only when he's meditating and I don't think you can meditate in a recliner that has a built in TV remote, vibrator, heater and Cheese Whiz spreader" Tenten said "And I think they have more than enough chair and couches at the Hyuga mansion."

"Then what do you suggest?" Ino asked skeptically crossing her arms.

"Well…" Tenten smiled getting a far off look in her eye.

Ninja Tools Department.

"We can get some of those shurkien, those new kunai models, senbon…"

"Didn't you get him ninja tools for the past five years?" Ino asked.

"No…Maybe…I…well…I mean…yes," Tenten sighed finally.

"That's what I thought." Ino said dragging Tenten off "Besides, I'm sure he has more enough ninja tools already."

9:00 A.M

After two hours in the store, Tenten had a grand total of zero items. "Aghh!" Tenten groaned. "This is hopeless! We found everything but a gift for Neji! What do you get for a guy that has everything?" Ino turned around from her six hundred and twenty nine items.

"Sorry, did you say something?" she asked innocently. Tenten face palmed again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3! Sorry this one took so long to post. I had a horrible case of writers block, christmas stuff to do, yadda yadda yadda. Anyway, I want to say, thank you to everyone who reviewed! Thank you for taking time to tell me your thoughts. And once again, a big thank you to MissFaerieKaiti for taking the time to beta read this story! So, I have no idea if I will have this story finished by Christmas but I am definetley going to try. Just one more little authors note here, I'm perfectly aware that they use ryo in Naruto but as I have no idea of what the exchange rate is, I just decided to just put down some random small number. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

9:15 A.M

"Tenten, would you quit pacing? I think you're wearing a hole in the floor," Ino sighed, "You'll find something for your boyfriend." Tenten stopped and glared with a look that said, 'He's not my boyfriend' before she started to pace again. Ino just shook her head and sighed again.

"Hey girls," Choji said approaching the two.

"Oh, hey Choji," Ino greeted "Playing Santa at the mall's live Christmas display again this year?" she smiled looking at his Santa costume.

"Yep," The Akimichi nodded with a grin.

"How much are they paying you this year?" Ino asked casually.

"Four fifty an hour," Choji smiled pulling out a bag of chips, "As well as all the trail mix you can eat. And not just the regular kind of trail mix, trail mix with honey glazed peanuts," he said wide eyed looking off into the distance. Ino just rolled her eyes.

"We still need more reindeer," Choji said snapping out of his trance. "Either of you want to…?"

"No…thank you, Choji, but we're umm, occupied." Ino interrupted. Choji just shrugged.

"Suit yourself," he said popping another couple of chips into his mouth, "Say, what's with you Tenten?" he asked looking over at the brooding bun haired kunochi.

"Hasn't been able to find a present for her boyfriend," Ino shrugged with another sigh.

"Not my boyfriend," Tenten called.

"She's very bitter about it," Ino whispered quietly as Choji nodded with his usual grin.

"Come on Tenten," he said with a smile "Buying a present for a loved one shouldn't be that hard."

"Well then what would you get him?" Tenten huffed sitting down on a bench in defeat.

"Well many of the best gifts don't come from a store. How about the comfort and knowledge that there is a friend who is there for him during this Christmas season?" Choji suggested.

"Choji," Ino began "I love you like a brother, but seriously, that has got to be the cheesiest thing you've ever said."

"Hey, there are some things that money can't buy," Choji smiled.

"For everything else there's MasterCard." Ino muttered.

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

"That's it!" Tenten said jumping up off of the mall bench with a large grin spread across her face.

"MasterCard?" Ino asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What? No, I'm talking about Choji's idea. Come on Ino!" Tenten shouted.

Of course, halfway across Konoha inside the Hyuga Mansion…

"I wonder if she'll like the color? No, no, of course she won't, why in the world did I even get this for her in the first place? Maybe she might, no this is horrible. I've got to…"

"Neji," a calm shy voice brought the Hyuga Prodigy out of his thoughts. He looked over at his cousin who gave him a look which Neji took to be Hinata's equivalent of 'Dude, chill'. "I-I'm sure she'll love it, just have more faith in yourself." The girl finished, inwardly smiling at seeing her cousin, Neji Hyuga, obsessing over a Christmas gift for his teammate. Neji eyed Hinata suspiciously.

"You do realize that I do not want a word of my…" He stopped and struggled to find a word to fit the situation "dilemma repeated to anyone correct?" Neji asked furrowing his eye brows.

"Perfectly," Hinata replied keeping the small smile on her face knowing the reputation her cousin had to keep up. Neji turned his attention back to gift hidden in his small box.

"This isn't good enough," he decided out loud, before quickly getting up and heading for the door.

"Umm, N-Neji?" Hinata began. "Can I ask why you're going through so much trouble to get the 'perfect' gift for your teammate? You were able to find one for Lee and Gai easy enough. Why are you obsessing so much over Tenten's?"

"Because she's my Tenten," Neji said quickly. He suddenly blinked a couple of times as if his brain was having trouble registering what he'd just said. Everything became so much clearer to Hinata and the small smile on her face grew a little wider. Neji quickly started to head for the door again.

"Where are you going?" Hinata asked inquisitively.

"To exchange this," Neji muttered feebly holding up the small box.

"It's fine, Tenten will love it, now go sit down." Hinata said calmly.

"Well I think we need more Christmas lights, I'll just go down to the store to…" Neji said continuing out the door.

"I'll get the Christmas lights," Hinata interrupted pulling Neji back inside and before stepping out. She shook her head. "Hopeless romantics," she sighed.

9:30 A.M

"Okay, you gonna tell me your plan now Tenten?" Ino huffed as the two continued to run through the mall.

"Well, I can't…" Tenten was forced to stop mid sentence as she collided with a blond haired stranger. (You get three guesses to who this guys is, first two don't count.)

"Oh, hey Tenten," Naruto said picking himself up off the floor.

"Naruto? Weren't you out with Kiba selling snow cones?" Tenten said shivering a bit at the last word.

"Yeah, but apparently due to our several **zoning** **law** offenses," he yelled over his shoulder towards Kiba. "We got shut down."

"For setting up a snow cone stand?" Ino asked.

"Actually, some chick from Suna got her tongue stuck on one and threatened to sue us." Kiba sighed walking up beside his friend.

"Uh, huh, yeah I'm gonna need your guys help on something," Tenten said quickly changing the subject. "Do either of you guys have any spare time?"

"Totally," the two answered at the same time.

"Hey it's Hinata," Ino said spying the girl looking in the window of one of the many shops.

"Sorry, Tenten, gotta go," The two chorused together promptly turning around and walking very quickly in Hinata's general direction.

"Hold it," Tenten said firmly, the boys stopped dead in there tracks and slowly turning to face the girl. They looked her and then at each other sheepishly. Finally, Kiba took a coin out of his pocket.

"Heads, I go; tails, you stay?" he asked. Naruto nodded with a shrug. Kiba tossed the coin into the air, caught it mid flight and flipped it over before revealing it. "Tails, looks like you're staying man." He grinned giving his friend a punch the shoulder before taking off. Naruto just grumbled.

"So…what's the plan?"


End file.
